Essential Mexico, Guatemala & Costa Rica

Welcome to Mexico City! You'll need to make your own way to our start hostel, where we'll get together with the group and tour leader for a trip briefing in the late afternoon. If you're arriving in Mexico City early, then there are plenty of ways to spend your free morning - head over to the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacan, or perhaps explore the colourful canal area of the city - Xochimilco.

Then, what better way to get to know your travel companions than with an included night of Lucha Libre, traditional Mexican wrestling? You'll be able to watch the fighters in their colourful masks and extravagant costumes, and experience the intense atmosphere of the crowd. Tequila, anyone?

This morning, join an included walking tour of the Mexican capital. Discover the Zocalo Main Square, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Palace, the Templo Mayor and more, then enjoy some free time for lunch.

Your tour leader will then lead a Spanish language class before you have a free afternoon to do as much or as little as you like in Mexico City. You could rent bikes (or book an Uber) and cycle over to Chapultepec Castle, tuck into some mouthwatering Mexican cuisine or do some shopping, it's up to you.

Mexico City - Puerto Escondido. It's time to leave the capital, as we transfer to the airport for an included flight to the coastal town of Puerto Escondido. Arriving at lunchtime, you'll have some free time to relax on the beach and enjoy a sunbathe. Later, we have an included sunset surf lesson. Puerto Escondido is home to some of the world's best waves, so it's a great place to learn, or to hone your surf skills.

After the surf lesson, your evening is at leisure. Explore the charming coastal town, find somewhere for dinner or enjoy a cocktail or two in one of the late night bars.

We're in one of Central America's most beautiful spots, so its only right we enjoy a chill day for you to unwind, soak up some sun, or put your new surf skills to the test. You can also book a dolphin and whale watching cruise.

As evening falls, opt for an unforgettable swim at the iconic Manialtepec Lagoon, where bioluminescent creatures illuminate the dark waters. Then it's back to town to enjoy a few drinks and dinner.

Please note: The Manialtepec Lagoon swim is unavailable on the days around a full moon, due to visbility issues.

Puerto Escondido - Oaxaca. Our next destination is Oaxaca (pronounced Wahaca), a city famed for both its strong Indigenous culture and its colonial architecture. Along the way, we stop at a workshop to learn how to make alebrijes, intricately painted wooden fantastical creatures inspired by folk art - they make great souvenirs!

Your tour leader will meet you on arrival in Oaxaca to help you check in to the hostel. You'll then have some free time to head out and explore before our included cooking class. Learn to make Oacacan mole, a traditional sauce known for its smoky, sweet and spicy favours. The rest of the evening is at leisure after you've finished tasting your creations.

Oaxaca - Hierve el Agua - Oaxaca. Today we enjoy a day trip to the nature reserve of Hierve el Agua, but we'll make a stop on the way to see the Tule tree, the world's widest tree - it's more than 2,000 years old and as wide as a tennis court!

We then arrive at Hierve el Agua, renowned for its rock formations, waterfalls and spring fed pools, the perfect place for a refreshing dip. There's plenty of time to explore the landscape and enjoy a swim before we head back to Oaxaca.

On our way back, we visit the well-preserved Mitla Ancient Ruins and enjoy a mezcal tasting, to find out more about this smoky spirit. Back in Oaxaca, join an included salsa class this evening.

Oaxaca - Cancun - Tulum. This morning, transfer to the airport for the included flight to Cancun, then transfer by bus to Tulum. We should arrive by 15:00, and the rest of today is at leisure.

Tulum - Chichen Itza - Valladolid - Tulum. Tick off one of the New Seven Wonders of the World today, with an included visit to Chichen Itza. Famous for the El Castillo pyramid, it's one of the best surviving Mayan ruins.

Later, we visit a cenote, a natural limestone sinkhole that the Mayans considered to be sacred. The water is a deep, dark blue and you can enjoy a swim amongst the picturesque surroundings. We then continue to the colonial town of Valladolid for an included lunch stop, before heading back to Tulum. The evening is free to head out with the group - perhaps you could find somewhere to catch the sunset.

This morning, we enjoy an included cycling tour of Tulum, stopping to admire ancient Mayan ruins, ocean views and colourful towns. We stop at the beach for a swim before you can decide how to spend the afternoon. Opt to cycle back to the hostel if you'd like to chill, take some time to swim in another nearby cenote, or enjoy the white sands of Playa Paraiso. In the evening, head into Tulum town for traditional tacos and a mojito or two. There's live music at Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar, one of our favourite spots in town.

Tulum - Guatemala City (Guatemala) - San Pedro La Laguna. It's time to say "adios" to Mexico as we head to the airport for an included flight from Tulum to Guatemala City. On arrival, we'll head straight to San Pedro La Laguna, on the shore of beautiful Lake Atitlan. It's a six hour journey, but the picturesque scenery that greets us on arrival is worth it. Your first evening in Guatemala is free to rest up or head out and explore.

You can enjoy a lie in this morning or opt to rise early for an incredible sunrise hike to the Indian Nose Viewpoint. Panoramic views of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanoes are your reward - this is an early start we really recommend!

The rest of today is at leisure, with plenty of optional activities to enjoy. You could book onto a boat party on the lake, try your hand at kayaking, get the adrenalin pumping with a cliff jumping excursion or relax in the solar pools, which are naturally heated by geothermal energy. Spend another evening in San Pedro La Laguna - we recommend an early night tonight, as our next couple of days are busy.

San Pedro La Laguna - Acatenango Volcano - Antigua. Day 12 marks the start of our 2-day hike to the summit of Acatenango Volcano. On this first day, we make our way to the trailhead and embark on a six hour hike through cloud forest and farmland to base camp. Along the way, we'll enjoy lunch with a view and see the eruptions of Volcan de Fuego from a safe distance. Accommodation tonight is in basic wooden shelters shared between 2 - 4 people - sleeping bags and blankets are provided, there are no showers and only basic toilets.

Get an early night because day 13 begins at 3am so we can reach the summit of Acatenango in time for sunrise - it's about a 2 hour hike from base camp across steep terrain. It's a challenging climb but worth it for the dazzling sunrise - you can skip the ascent if you prefer, it's up to you.

After the hike, we head back to basecamp for breakfast before making our way to Antigua, one of Guatemala's highlights. Known for its cobbled streets and colonial architecture, we'll jump straight in with a night of live music in one of the city's bars.

After a hectic couple of days, today is for relaxation. It's completely free for you to explore Antigua at your own pace. Wander down the colonial streets, enjoy a Guatemalan coffee or three in one of the city's cafes and maybe head up to Cerro de la Cruz for sunset.

Antigua - Guatemala City - San Jose (Costa Rica) - La Fortuna. We travel to our third and final country today: Costa Rica. Transfer back to Guatemala City this morning for your flight to San Jose. From here, it's a three hour journey to La Fortuna, located in the shadow of the Arenal Volcano and surrounded by hot springs, waterfalls and jungle. Your first evening in La Fortuna is at leisure.

We've got a full day of exploration ahead of us today, starting with a visit to La Fortuna Waterfall. Continuing to Laguna Tabacon, you can opt for kayaking or paddleboarding. We're then embarking on another hike, this time to Arenal Volcano, one of the most popular hikes in Costa Rica. In the afternoon, we enjoy the Arenal Hanging Bridges tour, walking across a series of suspended bridges located high above the treetops of the surrounding jungle.

After a busy day, you can soothe your aching muscles with an included dip in the La Fortuna hot springs, where the water is heated by the nearby volcano. The perfect way to end the day.

You've got a free day in La Fortuna today, but there are some great optional activities to book onto if you'd like. Get your adrenaline pumping with a day of canyoning or rafting through the La Fortuna rainforest, navigating rapids, canyons and jungle pools. Spot sloths hanging from the trees, or colourful toucans perched on the branches.

Alternatively, take a full day tour to Rio Celeste, where you can hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park to see a breath-taking waterfall and dense jungle. In the evening, there's an optional rainforest walk after dark, when frogs, snakes and glowing insects come out to party.

La Fortuna - Monteverde - Manuel Antonio National Park. We begin today with an included boat ride across Arenal Lake, before continuing to Monteverde by land. We stop for lunch before reaching Aventura Park, home to Costa Rica's longest zip line. A ride on the zip line is included, allowing you to glide over the canopy with amazing views of Arenal Volcano - spot howler monkeys and toucans in the trees.

We then complete our journey to Manuel Antonio, a coastal town known for its beaches, jungle and wildlife, adjacent to Manuel Antonio National Park.

You can relax in the hostel this morning, or book an optional guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park, where you can spot monkeys, exotic birds, and sloths. There's time to relax on the beach too, before our final included activity this evening.

At sunset, we climb aboard a catamaran for a sunset cruise. Spot playful dolphins and maybe a turtle or two - in the correct season, a breaching whale may also make an appearance. You'll have the chance to swim and snorkel among tropical fish and enjoy a sunset dinner onboard - the perfect way to wrap up our trip.

Manuel Antonio National Park - San Jose. Our tour comes to an end today. You'll be transferred back to San Jose, and from there you can head to the airport or continue with your travels independently.